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The NFL's Brazil debut was marred by terrible, slippery turf for Packers-Eagles

christian d'andrea
·3 min read
Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, BRA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, BRA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley was waiting for this. After six years toiling behind the iffy offensive lines of the New York Giants, he departed for the clean, wrecking ball blocking of his former NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

An offseason of expectations led him to Sao Paolo, Brazil for the league's debut First Friday game, a season-opening matchup played just outside the antitrust exemption that prevents the NFL from interfering with high school and college games after the first Friday of September. After his defense forced a Green Bay Packer punt on the opening drive, it was Barkley's time to shine with the Eagles stuck deep in their own territory.

His first carry in green and white resulted in negative five yards.

Barkley, who earned vindication with a second quarter touchdown catch, wasn't alone. Players on both sides of the ball were left cosplaying like toddlers in socks on a hardwood floor thanks to the soccer-friendly turf of Corinthians Arena. Christian Watson couldn't haul in a third down touchdown pass at the back of the end zone because he lost traction coming out of his cut.

Avonte Maddox saw a first down completion in front of him as he stumbled trying to mirror Romeo Doubs. Dontayvion Wicks had a 20-ish yard catch wiped out because he couldn't stay upright at the top of his route.

This was a problem, albeit one each team was left to deal with. It's also a black eye for the NFL's latest effort at international expansion. Sao Paolo, the largest city in the western hemisphere, was supposed to accelerate American football fandom in South America. Instead, fans were treated to amateur roller derby in between a few nice plays.

Behold, as a slip resets Jordan Love's brain so hard he nearly throws a pick-six that Nakobe Dean could have moonwalked into the end zone (you know, if he'd caught it).

It was a bad look -- something viewers and analysts were quick to point out on social media.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: The NFL's Brazil debut was marred by terrible, slippery turf for Packers-Eagles